Fish attractors, also known as flashers, are well known to the fisherman who trolls for game fish in deep waters. A variety of such devices are known in the art. The particular shape and configuration of the flasher determines its pattern of motion and its rotation. The type of material used in its construction determines the degree of shine, reflection of light, or the "flash" of the device.
The flasher should not be confused with the spinner, which is small and attached to the leader next to the hook. Spinners are designed to appear as bait for the fish. Flashers are larger and are designed to look like another fish swimming through the water.
One end of a flasher is attached to the fishing line and held below the water's surface with the assistance of a downrigger assembly. The bait or lure and hook are thereafter attached to a leader which is fastened to the other end of the flasher. The flasher is pulled through the water and mimics the motion of a fish as it swims along.
Design patents for such devices do not divulge the materials, sizes or modes of motion, but such designs do contribute to the art. Gardemeyer has designed a trolling spoon to which the hook is directly attached. (U.S. Pat. No. Des. 153,676) Hazelquist in U.S. Pat. No. Des. 363,113 shows two embodiments of a fish attractor that is an elongated triangle with the legs bent to form "wings" at its rear portion. The second embodiment features a second bend in each "wing".
The most common form of flasher on the market today is generally in the shape of an elongated rectangle with rounded corners and having one end portion bent upward and the other end portion bent downward. Such devices have been made of a metal such as brass (Stackhouse, Canadian Patent No. 629,515), a molded plastic with sheets of metallic reflector tape on the top and bottom surfaces (Gaunt, U.S. Pat. No. 3,656,253), and molded transparent plastic with a reflective sheet sandwiched between two layers of the plastic (Smith, U.S. Pat. No. 4,122,624). Though various degrees of reflectiveness are exhibited by these devices, they can only be seen when the flat side is toward the observer.
Hansen teaches a form of trolling device designed to move through the water in a zig zag path. The device has an upright triangular rudder with angular wings extending from opposite sides of the rudder. The base of the triangle forms the leading edge of the device (U.S. Pat. No. 4,237,644).
The prior art devices have restricted flashing capabilities, have one type of motion pattern, usually erratic, and are designed to carry only one leader. There is a need for a flasher that can be seen over 360.degree., that can be used in more than one movement pattern which is geared to the variety of fish being sought, and that can carry more than one leader without the lines becoming entangled with each other.